What is a queen conch?

A conch (pronounced "konk") is a large gastropod mollusk that lives in the seagrass beds of Florida, The Bahamas, Caribbean and Bermuda. They are herbivores (vegetarians) and graze on microscopic algae off the sand and the seagrass blades.

why are conch being overfished?

Conch are slow moving animals, which makes them easy to fish in shallow waters with snorkel or from a boat with a hook and glass bottom bucket. In some countries hooka and scuba diving are used to fish conch in deeper water.

Is the queen conch endangered?

 

The queen conch is listed by NOAA Fisheries as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act (since 2024). Conch are also listed under Appendix II in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which means their trade is controlled and countries that export conch to the US need to have a conch fisheries management plan (since 1992). https://cites.org/eng/prog/queen_conch/introduction

How do you know when a conch can be fished?

 

When the conch grows, its shell lengthens and continues to grow in a spiral. When it is about 3 to 3.5 years old, its shell stops growing and starts to form a broad flared lip. When the shell lip is fully formed and the thickness of the lip is 15 mm or greater it is ready to be harvested for eating. The conch are about 4-5 years old when the lip thickness is 15 mm.

where can i buy conch shells?

Queen conch shells can be bought in their country of origin. If flying home from a location, conch shells need to be in your checked baggage. They cannot be carried on.

how DO I become a Partner?

Please fill out our “Start a Farm” questionnaire.

What is the Life expectancy of a Conch?

Conch can live to 20-40 years old.

IS CONCH PLURAL, “CONCHES” or “CONCHS”?

Most communities say “conch” when referring to more than one conch.

Is a conch a snail?

Yes! Conch is a marine snail, also known as a gastropod mollusk.

What can the conch eyes see? 

Conch have sophisticated eye sight and it is likely they can distinguish large objects, which helps them to know when to retract back into their shell to avoid predators.

What is the scientific name for queen conch?

For a long time, they were called Strombus gigas, then their name was changed to Lobatus gigas, and now they are known as Aliger gigas. Their name was changed based on more detailed taxonomic tools.

How are conch shells made? 

The conch animal has an orange mantle with black spots. The mantle extracts calcium carbonate from the seawater and then the mantle is used to lay down the shell.

What are the different common names for the conch? 

  • Queen conch

  • Pink conch

  • Conch (The Bahamas)

  • Carrucho (Puerto Rico)

  • Karko (Curacao)

  • Lambi (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Dominican Republic)

  • Cobo (Cuba)

  • Caracol rosa (Mexico)

  • Caracol pala (Colombia)

  • Caracol rosada and Caracol reina (Central America)

  • Guarura and Bututo (Venezuela)

  • Combombia (Panama)

Will aquaculture save the species?

Queen conch aquaculture is part of the solution to species decline, especially when integrated with habitat conservation and marine protection. We suggest it should be used as a complement rather than a standalone solution.